


Midnight Kiss

by clearheart



Category: Naruto
Genre: Community: kakasaku, Drinking, F/M, Kissing, Love Confessions
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-06
Updated: 2021-01-05
Packaged: 2021-03-15 06:35:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,756
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28559181
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/clearheart/pseuds/clearheart
Summary: Instead of partying, Team Seven is stuck on a boring mission far from home. Sakura is a ninja so she understands that duty calls, but she still misses her midnight kiss for the New Year.
Relationships: Haruno Sakura/Hatake Kakashi
Comments: 18
Kudos: 80





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I posted this first chapter over one million years ago on LiveJournal for a New Year’s prompt (“Dying for a Kiss” by Bluerising, 2009... it is old). I brushed off the dust, cleaned up some typos, and gave it a new name. The next chapter is a sequel I wrote for 2021.

On the eve of the New Year…

Team Seven was mucking around the outskirts of Fire Country.

Sakura swatted away a noisy bug by her ear in irritation, before realizing that the low _bzzzt_ sound that had been ringing about her head for the past minute and a half was not a bug, but rather the low keen of a dying radio. She hastily unclipped the box from her side, and gave it a few rough shakes before the red light flickered back to a dull green.

Placing the radio back, she turned her head and scanned the lake’s edge. In the dark, it was difficult to see, but the reflection of moonlight on the water was just enough to light up the surrounding shore. Somewhere in the dark trees, Sakura knew that there were enemy ninjas lurking about. Two self-proclaimed tough guys from Cloud Country, to be exact. The newest terrors to a small local village, and who vandalized and stole from the hardworking farmers.

Her ear-piece crackled to life. _Sshhhrrrk_. “…Sakura—?”

Sakura calmly raised a hand to her ear. “This is Sakura,” she said quietly.

There was a long pause before more _Sshhhrrrk’s_ and _Krrfftts_ ’s rang out. “…you… need help… _Krrfftt_ …?”

Sakura listened closely with a frown. “Hold on.” She took the radio box again, shaking it back and forth again with a vengeance… before the static died down, and she calmly clipped it back to her belt. “Sorry, sensei,” she whispered again, and continued to dart her eyes back and forth over the water. “What did you say?”

“I was asking if you were in trouble,” came his soft reply. Sakura could just imagine him crouching down in a tree somewhere overlooking a clearing in the dark woods… not too far away from her own position. She wondered if Kakashi had been trying to contact her for long.

“Sorry, no trouble here… but my radio is on the fritz.”

“What was that?”

“I said my radio is on the fritz,” she said slowly, and enunciating every word.

She heard him sigh on the other end. “You’re still not coming through clearly.”

“I _said_ MY RADIO IS ON THE FRITZ.” Her voice echoed through the trees, startling a flock of birds.

Another long pause. “There’s no need to shout,” she could hear him say lightly.

“Sorry about that,” Sakura murmured in a solemn whisper.

She just hoped that her shouting didn’t give away her position.

Or maybe she did. When a tree branch snapped to her right, Sakura looked up with a little too much hope in her eyes, and drew her kunai. Adrenaline pumping… nerves on edge… ready for action. Only to discover the culprit of the noise was nothing more than a lone rabbit, hopping about the woods.

“Gahhhwd.” She let her hands drop down in disappointment, and let threw her head back in a Naruto-esque whine. “When is there going to be any action?”

“Mm,” was Kakashi’s only response. She wasn’t sure if he was agreeing or disagreeing. For sure, it had been a very quiet past eight hours standing guard over this sleepy part of the world. Naruto and Sasuke—who paired up and were guarding the opposite end of the woods—were probably going mad with boredom. Sakura was by no means a patient person, but usually stake-out missions didn’t leave her this restless and jittery.

She wondered if it was just this night in particular. Glancing up towards the moon in the clear sky, she estimated that it was probably nearing midnight soon, and that her friends at home would be celebrating in true Konoha style: with tons of flash and revelry to welcome in the New Year.

Meanwhile, she was stuck with her teammates in some dinky little forest.

“Hey, Kakashi-sensei…” She whispered into her ear piece again. “Do you suppose they’ll still be celebrating when we get back?”

“…You mean four days from now after we hike back to the village? No, somehow I don’t think so.”

Well, Sakura was half-expecting that answer, though, she thought she’d try asking anyway.

Sensing no enemies nearby, she decided to take a seat and plopped down by the water’s edge. In the distance she could hear the low croaking of frogs and feel the muggy heat rise up from the lake. Stray mist swirled up like ghostly shadows. Even during the traditional cold season that took over the rest of the land, the Land of Fire stayed consistently warm…

“That’s too bad, because I was really looking forward to the New Year’s festival this time,” she continued, resting a chin in her palm, and softly drumming her fingers on one knee. “I even bought new robes.”

“Mm.”

“Then there would have been fireworks, and games, and bonfires… and I would have met with Ino to get free food and candy… then we would have laughed at all the dorky people in costumes walking around… and played that stupid game where you catch the fish in a net.”

“I like that one,” Kakashi agreed.

“Then we would have met with the other _Nine_ at a party later, and would have gone carousing until we crashed later in the wee hours of the morning… are you still listening, sensei?”

“Mm hm,” she heard his low voice say, but she had a suspicion that he probably wasn’t.

She let out a drawn-out sigh. “You know… but what I was really looking forward to this year was getting a midnight kiss.”

There was a long silence on the other end.

“Sasuke is pretty good at being evasive, but Ino and I had a plan this year. This time we were going to get him so liquored up that we could corner him, tie him up in a chair, and—”

 _Sshhhrrrrrrrrkrffffft_.

Whatever Sakura was going to say next was cut off by the sudden hand wrapped around her throat in a near death-grip. Flailing her arm out, she hammered her hands against a hard chest, and the radio wire became yanked away from her ear as her attacker threw her down to the ground.

The sudden impact completely knocked the air out of her lungs.

Even with her head ringing and eyes watering up, Sakura could hear the two different sets of footsteps as her assailants circled in.

Dammit. She let her guard down.

And now some random Cloud-nin nobodies knew of her holiday plans.

Gritting her teeth, and with spots dancing before her eyes, Sakura gathered up chakra into her fist and braced herself for an earth-shattering hit that would surely swallow up her enemies, but before she could fully slam her fist into the ground—a hard boot suddenly made contact with her stomach, sending her flying through the air.

If she wasn’t winded before, she was now… and for that brief moment she went soaring through the sky, she caught a glimpse of her two assailants—standing on the shore like dark looming shadows, and the faint crackle of her radio as someone called out her name.

Then there was a loud _splash!_ and complete darkness as the water swallowed her into its chilly depths. The bubbles rose up all around her in a frantic haze, and the lake water immediately rushed up her nose and ears.

She kept her lips sealed shut. Her lungs were burning from the lack of air, and she felt the overwhelming need to cough as she remained doubled over from the powerful kick.

She was sinking down into the darkness. In the back of her mind she knew she needed to rise back to the surface—kick, flail her arms, perform a jutsu… anything. But as she weakly brought her hands up to form a seal, the strong undercurrents of the lake continued to drag her down.

The black spots were growing bigger. She was losing consciousness.

It felt like a small eternity before familiar hands grabbed her shoulders in a strong grip, and a warm mouth sealed over her own.

The person was trying to blow air through her mouth and insistently tapping a tongue to her sealed lips, as if asking for access. Sakura eagerly opened her mouth and took in the life-giving breath. Her lungs still burned, but she could feel herself returning from the edges of unconsciousness, as the warm moistured air went down. She held onto her rescuer in the cold dark, and with her body giddy from light-headedness, it truly felt as if they were floating through an endless void.

Then the mouth pulled away, and she was being dragged back to the surface of the lake, surrounded by a chaotic rush of bubbles. The strong arms held on to her tightly by the waist, pulling her through the water, and she kicked along in an attempt to help, but her arms and legs felt weak and were burning painfully from the lack of oxygen.

They broke through the surface with a loud splash, both gasping for breath. The moonlight rippled on the black surface of the lake, and Sakura was dimly aware of the pop of distant fireworks from the small village just beyond the forest. Bright colors filled the lower part of the sky and reflected off the waters. On the shore were the two unconscious lumps of the Cloud-nin she fought and lost to just moments before.

Kakashi was bobbing in the water next to Sakura, with an arm still wrapped around her middle. Very slowly, her vision began to clear, and she was aware of the flash of skin from his bare face and the glint of silver hair. Droplets of water dripped down from the top of her head into her eyes

“Happy New Year,” Kakashi said, after tearing his gaze away from the sky. As his face came into focus, Sakura could see that his expression appeared quite serene—as if he hadn’t just made an impossibly quick dash from the clearing to the lake, single-handedly wiped out the enemy, completed the mission, and rescued his student from the murky jaws of death before she lost consciousness.

From the look of things, they could have been out for a midnight swim. Albeit, Kakashi was awfully closer than usual… and they never took midnight swims.

“Happy New Year…” Sakura could only agree weakly.

“Now, I don’t know about the whole festival thing with the costumes, and games, and bonfires… and partying till morning, but…”

Kakashi leaned over, wiping the wet strands of hair from Sakura’s face. Their lips connected. Warmth and pleasure mingled together as he captured her in a long and satisfying kiss.

…A kiss that also left her thoroughly disoriented and made bright colors dance before her eyes that had nothing to do with fireworks. As they separated, new and disturbing thoughts began to burgeon in the back of Sakura’s mind. Ones that would leave her thinking long and hard in the many sleepless nights to come.

“Now…” Kakashi said, in a completely serious voice. “Do you still want to find Sasuke and tie him down? We could probably sneak up on him and Naruto if we’re quiet enough.”

Sakura couldn’t help but laugh at the joke, or at least what she hoped was a joke, and Sakura and Kakashi quietly climbed back to the shore… with the warmth of her first midnight kiss lingering on her lips.

And so began the New Year.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here’s the new chappie for 2021!

* * *

On the eve of the New Year…

Sakura took a deep swig of her sake. Unlike some unfortunate souls, she was off duty and planned to enjoy every luxurious moment. She dressed up, wearing a soft green sweater, black skirt, tights, and heels. Her fingernails shimmered with a fresh coat of green polish; the type with little sparkles.

Afterall, there was no party like a Konoha party.

Satisfied, she wiped her mouth with her hand. Sakura glanced at the friendly moon, which sat among an audience of diamond stars. They twinkled, winking between a veil of clouds. 

The potent aroma of gunpowder lingered over building rooftops in a dark haze as fireworks popped in the sky, raining down in colorful sparks.

Revelry filled the streets. Sakura listened to the chatter of adults and gleeful laughter of children. From her balcony seat, she had a generous view of the village, which she enjoyed by propping her feet on the balcony railing, and idly holding the glass of sake in one hand.

Down one block, street vendors lined the road, tempting villagers with food. The fragrance of fresh taiyaki was enough to make her stomach rumble. Her mouth watered at the thought of the fish-shaped bread and sweet red beans inside.

Down another block, neighbors gathered, drinking and playing games. Kids ran with hoops and sticks and bright sparklers. Lanterns and streamers hung from every building and fluttered in the breeze.

Over by the river, villagers huddled to watch the fireworks. They bunched in groups for families, with some people splitting off into teams and romantic couples. The bright explosions reflected on calm waters. 

Staring into the water, Sakura felt a stirring in her chest. A warm flush filled her cheeks and she hugged her sweater a little closer. A shiver ran down her body that had nothing to do with the cooling night air.

A memory shimmered in her mind of a mission Team Seven stomped through this same time last year. Sakura remembered cold water surrounding her body as she fell to the deepest, darkest, heart of a lake… then strong arms grabbing her and a gentle mouth covering her mouth.

Kakashi-sensei saved her that night by giving her life-giving air underwater, bringing her back to consciousness, and dragging her to the surface. For a while they floated on the dark surface. There were fireworks then, too.

Then Kakashi-sensei kissed her.

The thought made Sakura burn from the top of her head to the tips of her toes. Even now, a whole year later, she couldn’t think about that mission without a deep blush.

She certainly would never think about the New Year the same way again.

Like every bad mission, Sakura walked away with a standard case of unexplored trauma. After returning home she researched every method of surviving water depths, including a technique for slowing her organs and metabolic activity with chakra to reserve oxygen. In other words, she could hold her breath for a really long time. She only felt mildly skittish and outraged when standing next to lakes, rivers, or oceans nowadays.

Then there was another issue that involved her sensei. There were many problems wrapped up with this one. The chief and most outrageous problem being that she liked the way he kissed her. His tender mouth was so warm and gentle. Together their lips felt magnetic, curious and exploring and wanting. The adrenaline of being alive coursed through her veins, heightening every sensation.

She remembered the way he smelled. There was something teasing and irresistible about the scent of his clothes and skin, like deep pine and nature. His scent felt as familiar as home and the forest, and somehow pulled a moan from her throat.

Thinking about it now, during the dark nights alone when her mind wandered from one thought to another, still made her moan.

Sakura closed her eyes and pressed a hand to her forehead, blocking the tessellating colors of fireworks and urging the memory away.

To say she was affected by that night was an understatement.

Sakura wasn’t sure how to behave around Kakashi-sensei anymore. In the days and weeks that followed, they never broached the topic of their relationship. In the odd moments of quiet between them, she thought she could pluck up the courage to ask him about the time they kissed, but words always failed her.

There were some days she thought things could be normal again, but then he would say or do something that made her body freeze up and all the butterflies in her belly dance around. They were small things, like how he said her name, or looked at her, or gave his full attention when she spoke. Even hearing his soft laughter did funny things to her heart.

Sparring and training was another problem she didn’t want to think about right now. She both dreaded and longed for the physical contact. She was a mess.

Kakashi-sensei was never unkind to her. Sakura thought it would be easier if he was rude or awful.

Instead, he saved her a seat next to him when the team ate dinner. The team fell into a certain order and that was her seat.

When Sakura performed her apprenticeship duties at the hokage’s office, she looked forward to surprise encounters with Kakashi whenever he accepted or debriefed from missions. On those days they passed by each other. He strolled past with hands in his pockets, a smile ready for her. 

He let Sakura borrow any book from his collection, both of jutsu techniques and the romance variety, which he owned an impressive amount. Sometimes he showed up at her apartment weeks later, saying he needed a book back, then Sakura would fix them tea.

He always had time to spar when she asked.

He always caught her from falling to death during sticky missions.

He always mysteriously appeared with an umbrella to share on rainy days at the hospital, or with an extra coffee he no longer needed, or sweet treats someone allegedly gave him but he no longer wanted.

In all, Kakashi remained unfailingly kind, but Sakura didn’t know how to interpret these small interactions.

Were they the friendly actions of a long-time teammate, or something more?

They stood at a crossroad in their relationship, but unfortunately no bright neon sign pointed the correct way.

Sakura drank her sake as she thought over these things. Tonight she already enjoyed dinner and drinks with her friends, but turned down their persuasions to party afterward. Apparently Shikiamaru was throwing a big shindig at the Nara estate, and everyone knew the Naras had the oldest liquor and the wildest herbs of every kind.

“Come on, Sakura. You said you always wanted to get your hands on that medicine cabinet!” Naruto cajoled.

“No way. I told you. I have a date I can’t miss.” Sakura checked her watch for emphasis.

“Oooh, Sakura has a boyfriend,” TenTen teased.

“Sakura is getting laid!” Ino declared. Her friend-rival looked both excited and offended at the prospect.

“What? I thought you were just making stuff up to get away. Who are you seeing, Sakura? Is it that new medic?” Naruto leaned forward on the table, not realizing he planted his elbow in his plate of yakisoba noodles. Even Sasuke, who sat next to him, watched with mild interest.

“That’s none of your business!” Sakura stood up, feeling her cheeks and ears go red. She glanced at her watch again, which showed an hour away from midnight. “Anyway, I have to go. Good night!”

She beat a hasty exit, hearing her friends giggle and murmur to each other. The gossip would be unbearable tomorrow.

She walked away, deciding it was easier to let them believe she had a hot date. When in truth, she didn’t have any plans… at least none that she scheduled beforehand.

Knowing her friends, they would probably get drunk, maybe a little loopy off herbs, then sneak away from the party to make out with their respective crushes. Some might wake up tomorrow in the woods of the Nara estate, half clothed, and with deer nibbling their hair.

Sakura made it back to her cozy apartment, fixed a strong drink to pass the time, then waited on her balcony. Some anticipation stirred the butterflies in her belly. When her mouth went dry, she parched it with sake. The drink soothed her raw nerves. It gave her liquid courage.

She glanced at her watch again. Half an hour to midnight.

Could she be wrong? Did she read too much into things, or would a certain someone inexplicably show up at the last moment and find her tonight?

Sakura knew it was unreasonable to expect him to show up when they made no plans. In fact, she wasn’t sure where this fragile hope came from.

Maybe he felt the way she felt though. If so, if things were the way she thought they were, then he wouldn’t keep her waiting. He would show up tonight.

Through the years, Sakura discovered that she and Kakashi were like-minded in surprising ways, at least when it came to strategy and how they approached problems. They had a way of thinking along the same lines, even without discussing something before. Perhaps they were only being logical, whereas their other two teammates could be rather moody or temperamental.

On missions being on the same wavelength proved life saving. Outside of missions it proved simply uncanny. She understood his moods and he seemed to understand hers. Sakura found their bond companionable.

All the same, no matter how close they were, Kakashi was not a mind reader. If he were, he would have given Sakura clear signals a long time ago, indicating what they meant to each other. Sakura continued to remind herself of that fact. 

She fidgeted with her drink. She hoped they were on the same wavelength tonight. She gazed at the sky, wondering if there might be a shooting star out there to cast her wish upon. 

A soft thump sounded from below. Sakura caught movement from the corner of her eye—a piece of moonlight reflected off his silver hair. 

Sakura’s heart skipped a beat as his smell and presence washed over her senses. She picked up on the scent of forest mingled with roads outside of the village. He was probably fresh from a mission. 

Kakashi perched atop the balcony railing. Sakura watched as his mouth curved into a smile beneath his mask.

“Not partying tonight, Sakura?”

It took Sakura a moment to catch her breath. So much relief and happiness bubbled up inside her. “No... not tonight, sensei.”

Kakashi rubbed his chin in thought. The hiss and pop of cheerful fireworks filled the sky behind him. “Oh? Seems like a shame to spend the night alone. I thought you might be with friends or on a date.” After a pause, Kakashi glanced at Sakura. “Mind if I join you?”

Sakura smiled and patted the chair next to her. “Nope. I saved you a seat. It’s the best view in the village.”

Kakashi hopped down, light and silent as a cat. “I figured as much. That’s why I finished my mission early. I even sprinted here, thinking, ’ _Ah, I better high-tail it to Sakura’s place for the show_.’”

Kakashi remained standing though, and idly leaned back, resting his elbows on the railing.

“Congrats, sensei. You made it.”

Sakura stretched her arms and legs out, feeling a small kink in her back from sitting too long. She stood up to join her sensei.

Kakashi said he came here for the show, but he faced away from the fireworks, and his eyes followed her movements with interest.

She noticed when his gaze scanned up and down, assessing her outfit. It’s not often he saw her dressed out of uniform. “Nice skirt. It hugs your waist and hips. Very flattering.”

She gave a soft laugh. “I always wear skirts.”

“Yes, but this one is different.”

Her heart sped up, gleeful. Although she would never admit it, she did dress up for him. It made her happy that he noticed. 

She busied herself by fixing a new drink. She brought two glasses out for tonight in case a guest showed up. Her prediction paid off. “Want some sake?”

She handed the drink to Kakashi. His eyes flickered to the two glasses in her hands. 

“Thanks,” he murmured.

For a brief moment, their fingers touched. The contact warmed her skin. 

He accepted the sake but didn’t taste. He rolled the glass in his hand, distracted by some other thought. 

Down in the street below, kids dashed by with their sparklers, laughing and shouting in excitement. Their voices faded as they ran to the next block.

The scent of gunpowder lingered in the air. Sakura placed her sake on the balcony’s wooden railing, and ran her finger around the rim, toying with her drink in distraction.

Kakashi watched the sky. “I remember shooting fireworks with my dad. He volunteered to launch them by the river every year. It was a big deal, you see, because usually only the Uchiha clan shot off fireworks with their fire jutsu.” After a pause, he added, “That was a long time ago. Before I gained a pack of eight ninken.”

“Oh, I’m sure they love it. It must be their favorite holiday.”

“They hate it. Every year they make a big deal of going on vacation far away. There’s this abandoned island off the east coast that Pakkun keeps talking about. There are no humans or fireworks there, he says.”

“Couldn’t they hide in the summoning realm?”

“Yes, but that would be too easy.”

Sakura grinned. “I would take a vacation, too. You’re such a hardass, Kakashi-sensei, making them do missions all the time.”

“It’s their job,” Kakashi groaned. “Ungrateful mutts...”

Sakura patted his arm in consolation. “They’ll come back. As for me, I never shot fireworks by the river, because I’m not a pyromaniac.”

Kakashi raised an eyebrow. “Not even once?”

Sakura shook her head. “My mother hated fire and all things that can explode. On good years I might get those tiny bang snaps you throw on the ground. She and the ninken would get along famously.”

“You’ll have to explain summoning and talking animals to her first. I still remember that punch she gave me. She hits hard for a civilian.” Kakashi rubbed his arm ruefully.

He referred to an incident from Sakura’s genin years. He made the mistake of teleporting on the Haruno’s lawn to fetch Sakura for an urgent mission. Unfortunately, Sakura’s parents were very much civilians, and very much alarmed. 

“Sorry, sorry...” Sakura winced at the memory. 

“No need to apologize. You inherited your mother’s strength and father’s lungs. I never heard a man scream so loud.” Kakashi scratched his chin in thought. “You say you never lit fireworks before? I feel like you’re missing an essential childhood experience.”

“I fired off flares. That seems close enough.”

“That’s it,” Kakashi decided. “Next year we’ll grab an armful of ‘explosives’ as Pakkun calls them and head to an open field or body of water. Naruto and Sasuke might like that, too. Do you think they played with fireworks as kids?”

Sakura smiled. “Some people are terrified of the scary copy-ninja, but you’re such a big softie. Look at you, caring for orphans and dogs.”

“The treatment is kind of the same. Keep them in a pack and give them food. Wear them out with training.”

They went quiet for a moment, gazing at the show over the river. Someone was playing a stirring rendition of Konoha’s village anthem on an accordion.

Sakura’s balcony was small, so they stood close together. She felt the warmth emanating from Kakashi’s body. A bright shower of purple and gold sparks filled the sky. When Sakura blinked, the image burned into her eyelids, revealing a shadow of the original bang.

Kakashi held his glass up, watching the colors bounce and reflect through the liquid inside. “I’m surprised you’re home and not celebrating. Isn’t that what you missed doing last year? You said you missed playing games and drinking with your friends.”

 _And getting a midnight kiss_... but that part went unspoken.

Sakura’s heart beat fast. This was the first time Kakashi ever referred to that night, and maybe her only chance to address what happened. The fact that he clearly remembered the things she said was somewhat startling, but she should have known better than to think he had forgotten.

Even so, Sakura didn’t feel ready. One hundred years, let alone one year, wouldn’t be enough time to prepare her to romantically confront her teammate, mentor, or intense crush. Kakashi had the terrifying bonus of being all of those things rolled into one.

She swallowed hard. As Sakura learned, deflection could be the best defense. Afterall, she learned from the masters of evading fraught topics. The first being Tsunade who skillfully avoided all talk of her gambling debts, and the second being Kakashi himself. He avoided all things concerning his thoughts, feelings, and the past, which was quite a lot.

“What are _you_ doing here, sensei? Why aren’t you with your friends?” Sakura turned that topic around wonderfully.

Kakashi set his drink down. “To be honest, I was hoping you would be free tonight. I worried that I might be too late.”

Sakura blinked in surprise. Her ears perked up, and she glanced at Kakashi with wide eyes. “Late for what?”

Kakashi reached for the top of his mask and tugged down, revealing a gentle smile. “Late for midnight.”

Sakura openly stared, drinking in the features of his face. She didn’t get a close look last year after surviving the lake. After seeing one corner for so long, she now saw the whole picture: a straight nose, clean jawline, cheekbones that could be called noble, and a scar that slashed down his eye. The scar was strangely beautiful… it was a perfect thin white line on his skin.

She always suspected her sensei might be handsome, but the overall effect left her a little breathless.

Her eyes lingered on his mouth. She felt that mouth intimately against hers before. She knew how good those lips tasted and felt against her own.

As Sakura stared, he only smiled, seemingly unperturbed by her sudden scrutiny, as if he didn’t openly tease and antagonize all his friends and acquaintances with the greatest mystery of all—the mystery of his face.

“As I recall, someone wanted a kiss last year at midnight. If you want, I can offer my services again.”

Kakashi glanced at the moon as if to gauge the time. The hour must have been right because he stepped forward, placing a warm hand on her hip. Breathless, Sakura angled her head up, moving without thought.

She had fallen quiet.

 _His eyes have black flecks in them_ , Sakura thought, dizzy. She never noticed them before, but when she stood this close they became obvious.

Kakashi paused. He searched her face for hesitation. His eyelids lowered with doubt, and silver lashes framed those dark gray eyes. “...Or maybe not?”

She wasn’t under water this time, but her chest felt tight with excitement and anticipation. She placed her hands on his arms to steady herself, feeling the soft material beneath her fingers.

“No, I like this. Let’s kiss.” Sakura managed to say. The words tumbled from her mouth.

A hint of relief flickered across his face and he relaxed. It was strange and bewitching to catch his expressions.

“I didn’t realize this midnight kiss service was an annual thing.”

“Only for my favorite students.”

In the streets a different excitement swept the village as midnight neared. A palpable happiness filled the air. Sakura thought she heard them counting down. 

“I’m glad. You got here just in time,” Sakura grinned. She met his gaze, feeling more confident than before. _Ten... nine... eight..._

“I wouldn’t miss this for anything,” Kakashi said. “Last time was nice. I can’t think of a better way to start the year.”

_Seven... six... five..._

She tilted her head to the side.

_Four... three... two..._

“One,” Kakashi whispered. Warm tingles swept through her body as Kakashi pressed his mouth to hers, gentle and coaxing.

He started light and soft, as if fearing she might bolt or turn away. As Sakura remained rooted to her spot, he grew bolder. He pulled her close.

Sakura flushed against his body, feeling snug in his embrace. She reveled in the intimacy, the clean scent of his body soap, and the movement of his muscles beneath her touch.

Her heartbeat fluttered against her ribs like a small bird. She could hear traces of his heart murmuring back.

Around her the sound of fireworks and distant cheering echoed around the neighborhood, but Sakura felt sheltered from that noise. She and Kakashi occupied a small, private space, separate from the world.

His lips brushed against hers in slow luxurious movements. Sakura enjoyed the sensation and opened her mouth slightly, allowing his tongue to enter.

Kissing Kakashi felt as pleasurable as she remembered, sending tingles down her spine. He kissed and stroked so gently. The way he touched her made her toes curl. A warm fire stoked in her belly, and a traitorous moan rose in her throat.

Kakashi squeezed her a little tighter at the sound.

When his fingers found the back of her neck, she was lost. He caressed her cheek, and stroked her hair, and pulled her closer to him.

The taste of his tongue hit some primal part of her brain, stirring her blood. She felt soft and pliant in his arms. She would let him kiss and touch her all night if he wanted to. 

When they finally stopped, her knees were shaky, and they were both breathing harder than they should. Sakura became aware of the cool night air again. She felt dazed at the sudden loss of warmth.

Sakura released her grip, realizing how her fingers dug into his shirt. Kakashi opened his embrace, removing his hand from her hip, and the one from her head, and stepped back.

As Kakashi tugged his mask up, Sakura caught a ghost of a smile before it vanished behind dark fabric. “That should do for now. Happy New Year, Sakura. I hope that was decent enough.”

“Oh... oh, yes.” Sakura nodded. 

Kakashi laughed. He looked away and rubbed the back of his neck. His cheeks showed a hint of color. “Okay. I’ll keep the service for next year. Returning customers get extra perks.”

Sakura was immediately intrigued as to what those extra perks might be, but a more pressing question was on her mind.

“So is this our new tradition?” Sakura asked. She didn’t bother hiding the eagerness in her voice.

“I think so.”

“Good.” Sakura settled back. She reached for her sake and looked out to the village. Her arms trembled from being wound up. She hoped the alcohol would sooth with her nerves. “Next year is far away.”

“It’s a long wait,” Kakashi agreed. He propped his foot against the bottom railing. “But that’s what makes it special. I can’t spoil you with too many.”

Sakura sipped her drink, saying nothing. Although she felt a glow from their blissful activity, her thoughts whirled.

“I’m relieved I got here in time. I thought for sure you would be taken up with some other boy... or girl.”

Sakura grinned, amused. “Worried about competition?”

Kakashi lowered his mask to taste his drink. It must have been agreeable because he downed more. “Of course. I want you all to myself. I don’t want anyone else to know that Sakura Haruno is a great kisser.”

Sakura refilled his glass and topped off her drink, too.

“You think I'm a good kisser?”

“A _great_ kisser.” Kakashi winked. 

Sakura felt her ears go red. She faced forward to hide her embarrassment. “Well, I suppose you’re not so bad yourself!”

“Thanks. I think.”

Sakura snorted then gently bumped Kakashi with her shoulder. “If I had you rate you...”

“No one is asking you to do that.”

“...I would say you’re at least a seven out of ten.”

At that Kakashi raised an eyebrow. Apparently she hit a nerve, because his jaw went slack. “Only a seven?”

“Better than a six,” Sakura confirmed. 

“I suppose that’s a small comfort.” Kakashi went quiet with introspection. 

“Don’t worry, sensei. With enough practice you can rise to an eight, maybe a nine.”

“I see.”

“So at this speed, with one kiss every New Year, you might see improvement in four to five years.”

“That’s a very long time.”

“You can try kissing me more often,” Sakura offered. She must have been feeling very magnanimous. “You’ll improve faster.”

“No, that would spoil you,” Kakashi repeated. He looked down in thought. “Hm, but what should I do on my dates until then? I don’t want to make out with people if I’m only mediocre.”

“Do you go on dates?” Sakura asked, curious. 

“Ouch. Now you’re really bruising my ego.”

Sakura never dwelled on the fact too much, but despite his cool and aloof nature, Kakashi was indeed an adult who might enjoy romantic interactions with other people.

A sequence of images played through her head of Kakashi pulling down his mask for someone else, flirting with and kissing them, or worse, doing more than that...

She didn’t enjoy the thought of other people, maybe someone less worthy, knowing the close and intimate language of Kakashi’s body. Not when learning things about him, even the most superficial things, was a colossal struggle.

Sakura felt like Kakashi belonged to Team Seven. Other people could know Kakashi in a personal way, but not more than Team Seven did, and uncertainty not more than her. It wasn’t fair. 

Sakura forced a grin. She couldn’t look at Kakashi anymore. If she did, he might see the truth.

He might see how much she loved him.

Yes, the truth shocked her, too. But if everything she felt about Kakashi wasn’t the strongest sort of admiration and affection, and if that wasn’t love, then she didn’t know the meaning of the word.

They lived through too much together to call it anything other than that.

“You look annoyed, even though I’m the one being picked on. What are you thinking about?” Kakashi leaned on the banister, resting a chin atop his closed hand. He watched her with curiosity.

“I... feel jealous,” Sakura admitted. Surprise bloomed in her chest at this realization.

“Jealous of what?”

“Jealous for you. It burns me up when I think of you dating other people.”

“Hm. I’m not sure what to say to that. I suppose I can join a convent.”

Sakura sucked in a breath as courage overtook her reasoning. She made it this far, so she might as well say what she felt. 

“I felt so happy when you kissed me last year, but it took me a while to understand my feelings. A lot happened that night.”

Kakashi went quiet.

Sakura stared at the drink in her hand, running her thumbnail over the smooth glass. “Maybe I’m overthinking it, but we never spoke about things. So I assumed it was a one-off event. Like something you did for fun, or just to be nice... but here you are again.”

“I’ve been called many things, but ‘nice’ isn’t one of them.”

“It’s true though. You are nice. You are one of the kindest people I know.”

“Only around you, maybe. I’m a rude terror to others. ‘Very antisocial’ is what Tsunade wrote on the last performance review.”

“That’s what I mean. You treat me differently. Does that mean something?”

Kakashi lowered his eyelids ever so slightly as a doubtful look clouded his face.

“Sakura... I need to ask. You are dressed up and had two drinks ready. You were waiting for someone, weren’t you?”

Sakura sucked in a breath and looked up. When she met Kakashi’s gaze and peered into those dark gray eyes, she found a solemn clarity there—in the same way mist clears from a quiet mountaintop and a crane takes flight—and she saw that he knew.

“I was waiting for you,” she confessed. “I wanted you to show up, and kiss me at midnight… and you did show up, and you did kiss me.”

“Oh, it’s tradition now. I would have found you wherever you were.”

“Even if I was around friends?”

“Especially if you were around friends. It adds to the challenge.”

She kept a brave face, the same way she did when facing down a cunning foe.

“You’re surprisingly reckless,” she said. 

“Only around you. I have to be… because _you’re_ always reckless. How can a person fall off a building, volcano, cliff, or into a lake every mission?”

“The volcano was only that one time.”

“You know what I mean.”

“I’m sorry my powers involve smashing things apart, and sometimes falling off the ruins, but that’s the tradeoff for having a powerhouse teammate.”

Kakashi bowed his head in defeat. He stared at the ground in thought.

“Sakura... I’m sorry. I did something brash last year. I thought we could keep things simple, but I’ll admit that’s hard to do.”

Sakura didn’t believe that for a moment.

“When you kiss me, you kiss me like you really mean it.”

Kakashi didn’t back down. He glanced at Sakura with a slow blink. The expression around his eyes didn’t change, but his mouth formed a smile. “Maybe I do mean it.”

“What does that mean, sensei?” Sakura thought she knew, but she needed him to say it. 

Kakashi put his glass down and faced her, looking more serious than she’d ever seen him. 

“It means that I kissed my female student. I kissed her and I liked it. I can’t stop thinking about it. I had to find her again this year, because the thought of her being with someone else is awful. Nobody else can handle her like I can...”

Sakura stared, her heart beating fast.

“Sakura, I’m sorry. A trusting team relationship turned into something different.” Kakashi rubbed his brow, as if warding off a headache. “I’m an idiot.”

Sakura grabbed his arm, breathless. Her eyes glowed bright. “But I like you, too! So that makes the two of us. We’re a fitting pair.”

“You mean a pair of idiots.”

Sakura huffed. “It’s not that bad. There’s no rules about teammates becoming romantic.”

She knew that because she looked it up, covertly opening their contracts and rulebooks in the hokage’s office.

“I don’t think that category includes a sensei and their student. That must be some kind of abuse of power at least.”

“I didn’t see any rules.”

“Probably because it never happens. Other jounin are too smart and not complete idiots like me.”

“It’s a dangerous profession,” Sakura mused. “Most teams never survived this long in the past. Quite frankly, I’m shocked you’re still alive.”

“I think I did die once. Either that or had an intense hallucination.”

“Being on death’s door can do that to you. Your brain freaks out.”

Kakashi sighed and gazed longingly over the village, as if contemplating what might be better: death or loving her. 

Sakura tsked, annoyed. She did feel weirdly guilty, and wasn’t about to announce to her friends that she desired her sensei, but the shame wasn’t enough to stop her from wanting him. It was as if he had this gravitational pull. Somehow she ended up in his orbit every week without fail. She couldn’t stop herself even if she tried—and she did try in those early awkward months.

“We are lost in new territory,” Kakashi decided. 

“What do we do?” Sakura wondered. “Do we go backward or forward? I don’t want to go back.”

“We can try moving forward, but there is no compass or map.”

Sakura thought for a moment. She thought back to past missions when they traveled unknown territory, taking note of the direction of mountains and rivers, and charting a path by the stars. “That sounds fine. We have each other.”

“Wherever we end up, forward or backward, I want you to be happy. From now on, tell me when something bothers you, especially if it’s me.”

Sakura picked at a lint on her sweater, perturbed. “Oh no, that’s not a good idea. You’ll regret saying that. _A lot_ of things bother me, especially you.”

“That’s fine. When you need someone to talk to, or beat up, or cry on their shoulder, or trade kisses with, you can find me.”

Sakura managed a wobbly grin. “Be careful, sensei. You almost sound serious.”

“I am serious. I’m here for you, Sakura. Rely on me.”

Kakashi held out his hand. Sakura hesitated for a moment, then placed her hand into his palm, watching how their fingers entwined together. The texture of his glove felt rough, and so did the callouses on his fingers, but overall his grip felt warm.

He had clever hands. Sakura knew them well from sparring and healing them. Now his hand rest so peacefully with her own.

His sincerity moved her. Being in love was messy, and for them would be doubly so, but Kakashi was willing to make an attempt. It was a small happiness. 

“Okay... I’ll try. Please rely on me, too.”

“The thought terrifies me more than anything, but I’ll try, too,” Kakashi agreed. He squeezed her hand, then said with a soft voice, “Thank you, Sakura.”

Sakura sighed, releasing a breath she didn’t know she was holding.

Did Kakashi just promise to make love to her whenever she asked? The thought made her cheeks heat up.

She downed her drink in one shot, placing the glass down with a thunk. As thrilled as she was to be with Kakashi, another thought crossed her mind and wouldn’t go away.

“Hey, Naruto and Sasuke are partying at the Nara estate getting smashed on liquor and herbs. Naruto said something about deer racing, too.”

“Hm. You don’t say.”

“Should we mess with them? I bet a few people are wandering the woods by now.” A devious glint filled Sakura’s eyes.

Sakura had an ulterior motive, of course. If her friends fell prey to incriminating or embarrassing situations tonight, gossip would target them instead of Sakura and her mystery lover.

Kakashi rubbed his chin in thought. “I’ve always been curious about the liquor. The Nara have an especially old stash.”

“I’ve always been curious about the herbs.”

Kakashi shrugged. “It sounds like we have no choice. We’ll have to commit a caper tonight, harrass your drunk friends, steal liquor and herbs, and tie up Sasuke.”

“Huh? Why are we tying up Sasuke?”

“It’s tradition.”

“Oh... I knew I could count on you, sensei.”

Kakashi smiled. “Always, Sakura.” He lifted her hand and touched the backside with a tender kiss. “Whatever happens, I’m yours.”

The dark night hid them well. After their daring caper, and after enjoying too much liquor and then each other, they lay entwined in Sakura’s bed, snug and asleep until the golden hours of morning.

Sakura enjoyed the New Year very much. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy New Year, KakaSaku fam!


End file.
